Barge.



H. W. KIRCHNER.

BARGE.

, APPLICATION FILED APR.15,1907. 929,139. A Patented July 27, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lllllllllll||ll|l l HEI . H. W. KIRCHNER..

BARGE.

' APPLICATION FILED APB.. 15, 1907. v 929,1 39. I Patented July 27,1909.

asuma-SHEET 2.#

H. W. KIRCHNER.

BARGE.

RPPLIOATION FILED APR. 15, 1907.

Patented July 27, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITEDSTATESPATENT OFFICE.

HENRY WILLIAM KIRCHNER, OF Sl. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO RIVER & RAILTRANS- PORTATION COMPANY, OF GUTHRIE, OKLAHOMA, -A CORPORATION OFOKLAHOMA.

BARGE. l

i specification of Letten Patent.

Patented July 27, 190e.

Application inea Apni 15, 1907. seri-a1 No. 368,261.

To all whom 'it may comm:

. Be it known that I, HENRY WILLIAM- KmoH'NER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,

and a resident ofthe cityof St.' Louis and State of Missouri, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement.. in l3arges,-ofl which thefollowing is la specification.

` My invention relates to barges, and has for its principal object toprovide freightholding compartments or unit-boxes Which maybe removablymounted in the barge and may be interchangeable with each other and withsimilar unit boxes .-of other barges and freight cars.

Other principal objects are to provide against the shifting of suchremovable boxes, to facilitate the loading of the boxes into the bargeand their removal therefrom, to protect such boxes from the weather, andte secure other advantages hereinafter more fully appearing.

In the accompanyingv drawing, forming part of`this specification, andwherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure lis a plan view of a portion 'of a barge embodying my invention; Fig. 2is a longitudinal vertical section thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on an enlag'ed scale of a portion ofthe barge emb ying"v my invention, thesection being indicated by' thedottedline. 3-3 in Fig. l;l Fig. 4. is a.lon(gitudinal sectional viewvof -a portionof sai barge on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is adetail planview of one of .the-removable boxes or compartments showingthe fastening devices by which it' is connected tothe framework of thebarge and tol Y an adjacent compartment, respectively; and,

. gether.

of 'a series of uprights or columns 2 anda- Fig. 6 is a detail viewillustrating the means for fastening removable compartments to- TheSuitable structure and material.A ,The shell is provided with a seriesgff'gtransverse frames which serve to stiifen afiltrengtlen the barge.TheseY frames consist preferably series of horizontal channel irons 3fixedv to said columns. The width of each division ofthe barge, that is,the distance between the transverse frames is preferably uniformthroughout 4the length of the barge; or, when such distances areAunequal, they should be multiples of the common unit, which is the spacerequired for a single revflange main shell 1 lofthe barge is-of anyymovable box ofthe kind hereinafter scribed.. Each transverse frame hashorizontal channel-irons 3' on each side thereof, and the correspondingchannel-irons of the several frames are mounted at equal heights wherebythe channel -irons of adjacent -frames constitute supports orltracks forhorizontal I-beams 4. These I-beams 4 are provided on their under sideat each end with cleats 5 which project underneath the-A` upper flangeof the horizontalchannel-irons 3. Said cleats thereby prevent any upwardmovement of the I-beam relative to the channel, while they permithorizontal `movement 'gof said I-beams lengthwise of ded the channel.Each transverse frame is highl est at the middle portion thereqf andthence The deck consists preferably of a series ofheavy flanged plates 8vof metal which are hinged to the transverse frames 'and ar# ranged tooverlap each other in such a Way as toconstitutea water-tight covering.For

this purpose, the plates are preferably rovided along the hinge' edgewith a re ent whichoverlaps the upstanding iange f Ae transversefastened to other three of t etop channeliron 6 A o frame, sald edg thetop of sa;` sides of the pl'y are also flan being either a sim le upstanlngflange, as

' illustrated at 9 in ig. 3, or a rebent flange, as

illustrated at- 10 .in Fig. 3. The side flang eil, the dans@ ofthefseveral-'sheets which arehinged to the 'same channel are so arranged4that the side iange of each of said sheets will overlap the side liangeof thesheet adjacent toit towardA the -side -of the barge, and theinnermost sheet-has a rebent ilange which overlaps the flange of thelongitudinalv channel-iron. The flanges of the outer or free .end of theseveral v-sheets are so arranged that a' rebent flange 11 on the sheetto one transverse fr will overlap a flange 12 on the outer end of asheethinged tothe next adjacent frame, as illustrated in Fi 4.Preferably, the

standingseam-thus ormed is supported by means of an I-beam or othersuitable reinforcing piece 13 Aremovably secured to the framework by anysuitable means.

"By the .arrangement hereinbefore de- 5 scribed,"the. shell ofthe bargeis divided by date two rows of units, thennits being connected Vto eachother and to the transverse frames, respectively, For this purpose, eachunit is provided with lookin members which are preferably arranged 1ntwo sets on each of two opposite sides ofthe box (that is, four sets inall) one member of each set beinga latch o`r a hook 15 and the' othermember being -a keeper 16. For the sakeof interchangeability, thedistance between the latch and the keeper of each set .is uniform andthe latches of the several sets'- bear a uniform relation and positionto the keepers of their respective sets. The len h of the latches islikewise uniform, so t at said latches constitute spacing ordistancepieces as 4well as fastening devices. The transverse frames are.also provided with loops or latch keepers 17 arranged to coperate withthe latches on the boxes or units. In practice, the division of thebarges should be of suchv .widththat, when two boxesor units arefastened together, the 4latches on said boxes will engage with thekeepers on the transverse frames. for variation of this width, thekeeper may be adjustably mounted with respect to the transverse frame.The several boxes or units are arranged in rows extending crosswise ofthe barge, with their ends abutting.

At the end ofeach row, the frame 0f the' barge is providedwith anadjustable-abutment designed Ato prevent lateral movement of the boxesor units. lA suitabletype of adjustable "abutment fis illustrated inFig. 3 and consists of agwide block 18 pivotally mounted on-one end of amember 19 whose other end is screw-threadedand connected by aturn-buckle 20 to a second member`21 5 which is pivotally mounted on theframe of the barge, the turn-buckle being provided with suitable meanswhereby it may be manipulated toextend or contract the device. One ofthese abutments is provided at each or boxes,a nd by tightening saidabutments a ainst the end boxes the entire rowl-is ma e toact as asingle rigid member. i The operation'of the deviceis as follows: 5Assumingthat the barge is loaded landitbarge are preferably designed vtoaccommo- In order to allow masas l is desired-mamma it, the deck platesof hatchesV of a' divisi-on are raised, whereby the boxes or units inthe uppermost tier of that division are accessible. The adjustableabntments are loosened. and the derrick hangers are connected to theholes provided therefor in the latches "of a box or unit, whereupon theboxmay be lifted bodily out ofthe barge! and set wherever desire Whenthe uppertier of boxes or units is removed, the skids or I-beams 4 whichconstitute the supports for the upper tiel: are slid; Llengthwise ofthetransverse frames to give free access to the next lower tier Whose boxesor: units are removed in like.A manner and the same is true ofeach lowertier. In loading the barge, the operation is reversed. i

The more important advantages llof my invention are that' the cargo ishandled'in comparatively small lots and is not liable to shift duringtransportation; that the boxes or units are interchangeable with eachother and with the boxes or units of other.

.barges of likeeonstruction and may be used interchangeably upon freightcars designed to accommodate them, 'so that .the disadare avoided;that'the boxes or units may be provided with wheels and thus constitutetrucks to facilitate the handling of them atv receiving and deliveringpoints; and that the boxes or units maybe Ifurnished to a shipper tobepacked and scaled by him and delivered with the shippers seal affixed tothe consignee.

Obviously, my invention is not restricted to the constructionhereinbefore described,

which admits of considerable variationl without'de arting from saidinvention. For

s vantages of unpacking and reloading a'cargo los instance,a though theAbarge is illustratedY in the drawing with divisions adapted to receivetwo divisions may be made to accommodate a single row vor' a greaternumber of rows than 'two. -When the divisions are made to acthe skidsmaybe eliminated and the framesv spaced close the fastening de- *1-15coinmodate a single row,

enough together to, make vices overlap the trackwa s andv act as han ersby, enga ing therewith.- So, too, it is o vious that the frames may be"disposed longitudinally instead of transversely.

. 1. A barge .compris'`"ia"shell,v parallel frames therein', movable'load-supporting fmem bers spanning from-frame to frame an boxesremovably the -distance between adj aeent. frames being noultiplesofthespa'ce required .by a Singlef 2. barge comprising aishell,"'framesar ranged. transversely .therein and constitutingbraces'forsaid shell, .movable load-su portrows of units, it isobviustha-t the supported :on said members,

each other.

and boxes removably supported on said frames, the distance betweenadjacent frames being multiples of the space required by a single box.

3. Abarge comprising a shell and parallel frames arran ed transverselytherein and constituting races. for said shell, said frames havingtransversely` arranged horizontal load sustaining members 'constitutingtracks, and movable members on said tracks.

4. Abarge comprising a shell and parallel frames therein, said frameshaving horizontal members and the horizontal members/of adjacentframesconstituting supporting tracks, and skids slidably mounted upon saidsupporting tracks.

5. A barge comprising a shell and transverse frames therein, said frameshaving a plurality of horizontal' members on each side thereof and skidsslidably mounted on 4correspondi11g members of adjacent frames.

A'barge comprising a shell and frames therein separating the same lintodivisions, and movably mounted deck plates for each division. f

7. A barge comprising a shell and frames therein separating the sameinto divisions,l and movably mounted deck plates for each division, saiddeck plates being hinged to the framework and arranged to overlap.

8. A` barge comprising a shell and frames therein separating the sameinto-divisions, and movably mounted deck plates for each division, saiddeck plates being provided with flanges arranged to overlap each other.

y 9. The combination with a barge of aplui rality of interchangeableboxes each having fastening'devices at its ends, said barge havingdivisions Whose Widths are multiples of Athe space required by a singlebox, and the Eartitions between the divisions of a barge eing providedwith means for coperating-- with the locking devices on the boxe: andwith horizontal tracks, and skids on said tracks for supporting saidboxes.

10. A barge comprising a shell, box-supporting frames arrangedtransversely therein and constituting braces therefor, horizontalmembers mounted on said frames transversely of said shell andconstituting tracks, boxes slidably supported lon said tracks', andadjustable abutments for the endmost boxes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo 'subscribing Witnesses this 12th day of April, 1907, atSt.Louis,l\/Iissouri.

HENRY WILLIAM KIRCHNER.

lWitnesses: t

JAMES vA. CANN, JULIA B. MEGOWN.

